Passione Strings (Regular & Stark)

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Thomas Erickson

+1

Seems like all the newer strings are in the same direction; fat, soft, sloppy... I'd like to see some advances and new choices in good orchestra strings rather than low tension strings trying to be all things to all people.

I don't know too many strings that can be called all things to all people. I think back a few decades Spiros worked for most for Jazz players and Flexocors for Classical cats. Now we have more choices to add to the mix, or is that confusion? lol

Too clarify my testing, the Candi is a softer tensioned instrument so the strings feel softer on it. The Sirleto is a tighter feeling action. This is also because the Candi has a new neck and thick fingerboard with CF graphite inlaid. The stiffer neck takes the tension off the strings and makes them feel softer. Before the new neck/fb job was done the bass played much tighter. Maybe my comment on the soft/loose description was not 100% accurate. The exact same strings (the 2nd set) on the Sirleto feel quite tight with a normal neck on the thinner side with an average fingerboard, not thin or thick. On the Sirleto they are NOT loose at all.

Like any string, you have to try them on YOUR bass to know for sure. Please remember that if your bass goes into a restoration and gets a totally new neck and FB like the Candi did, the strings could feel different afterwords depending on what the neck was like beforehand.

They play so effortless on the Candi. So much so that I have been grooming the Candi (warming up on it) to use on any programs I have coming up that doesn't need a C-extension. Actually, I was thinking for quite awhile about putting a C-extension on the Candi but that idea is on the shelf at the moment. I have too many other projects already going. Sending the Candi in now will just stop the work on other basses in the same shop needing to be completed so it just has to wait.

They these strings if you can. The bow great and sound sweet. The neck closest strings would be the Evah weichs. The Passiones bow slightly better, just slightly. The Candi has been tested with those as well. The Candi actually sounds great for Jazz with either string but these lighter tensioned Passiones sound sweeter with a bit more Muah than even the Evah's.

[Thomas Erickson]

trying to be all things to all people.

An all purpose string would be great, too bad it's impossible. My point is that most the newer strings seem geared to players with no chops putting a priority on jazz but who also have to bow on occasion. :-/

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Thomas Erickson

An all purpose string would be great, too bad it's impossible. My point is that most the newer strings seem geared to players with no chops putting a priority on jazz but who also have to bow on occasion. :-/

I am not so sure that's the direction with these. I think it was made to compete with the Belcantos. They are not as heavy in tension, gauge or tone as the Bel's are in my opinion but the slightly looser tension allows the bass to breathe more which brings out a wider spectrum of tone. I like them, bow or fingers.

[Alex Verbree]

Originally Posted by Thomas Erickson

An all purpose string would be great, too bad it's impossible. My point is that most the newer strings seem geared to players with no chops putting a priority on jazz but who also have to bow on occasion. :-/

I'm a 90% classical player, with a bit of folk that I tend to pizz. I personally prefer a lower tension string, including for orchestral settings. I find that instead of giving me more volume, higher tension strings generally choke up my bass and make it hard to get a warm, deep sound. I had a set of Original Flat Chromes on my bass for about six months, and it was the worst $400 I've ever spent. It wasn't a total loss, as my current set up is the Flat Chrome G with Bel Canto DAE, but with the full OFC set on my bass it was as if my bass had a big practice mute all the time.

Perhaps I am part of a growing group of classical bassists who prefer this sort of lower tensioned set up. I don't see the point in putting these monstrously thick cables on my bass that do nothing but choke up my sound and make it harder to play.

But then, my opinion's likely moot. I'm considering going gut!

Cheers,

Alex

[Thomas Erickson]

Originally Posted by Alex Verbree

I'm a 90% classical player, with a bit of folk that I tend to pizz. I personally prefer a lower tension string, including for orchestral settings. I find that instead of giving me more volume, higher tension strings generally choke up my bass and make it hard to get a warm, deep sound. I had a set of Original Flat Chromes on my bass for about six months, and it was the worst $400 I've ever spent. It wasn't a total loss, as my current set up is the Flat Chrome G with Bel Canto DAE, but with the full OFC set on my bass it was as if my bass had a big practice mute all the time.

Perhaps I am part of a growing group of classical bassists who prefer this sort of lower tensioned set up. I don't see the point in putting these monstrously thick cables on my bass that do nothing but choke up my sound and make it harder to play.

But then, my opinion's likely moot. I'm considering going gut!

Cheers,

Alex

Sure, some basses are going to do better with lower tension. The thickness of a string really doesn't have much to do with the tension though; I mean, who knows what's really inside. And with a proper setup, ease of playing shouldn't really be much of an issue, let alone a deciding factor that overrides good tone...

[Alex Verbree]

Originally Posted by Thomas Erickson

Sure, some basses are going to do better with lower tension. The thickness of a string really doesn't have much to do with the tension though; I mean, who knows what's really inside. And with a proper setup, ease of playing shouldn't really be much of an issue, let alone a deciding factor that overrides good tone...

forgive me, the last section of my comment was a little dramatic. Most bass strings ARE thick cables in comparison to other instrumental strings, but that's neither here nor there .

But that being said, at the end of your comment you imply that heavier tension strings are going to have a better tone on a proper setup, while at the beginning you say some basses will do better with lower tension.

I don't think that either heavier tension or lighter tension strings are a cure-all to any bass players tone or playing woes. I go with lower tension strings because i like they way they feel under my hands, and I like the sound I can get from them. You, from your comments, seem to prefer a heavier tensioned string. There's nothing wrong with either of our views.

What I AM trying to say is to assume that those whom are buying lower tensioned strings are players "with no chops putting a priority on jazz but who also have to bow on occasion" is just a fallacy. I am not alone in my use of Bel Cantos for classical orchestral playing, and in my opinion, the higher the tension, does not necessarily a better orchestral string make.

regards,

Alex

[Thomas Erickson]

And my original comment re chops was a little silly too. so yeah, you're right, there's a need for all different strings. I was just commenting on a trend that I see and find a little annoying is all, no big deal.

[Abe Gumroyan]

Ken,

What are the differences you hear & feel between the Passione & Belcanto ? I am reluctant to change the belcanto set on my Martin as they give a great "boom" and spread sonically. I briefly tried a set of original flexs when I first purchased my bass and they choked it out so I am assuming my bass likes low to medium tension. My only gripe with the belcantos is that their dynamic range is quite limited but I put up with it because of the compromise of sound and response. Are the passione strings quick to speak like the bels ?... Also, I just checked Pirastro's website and found that they offer a Stark set now. Any suggestions would be useful.

[Ken Smith]

I just took off a fairly well used set of Flex 92's Stark gauge with the E/C to match from my Neuner/Mittenwald bass. I had them on a couple of basses over the last year or so. Taking the strings on and off adds to their demise eventually.

So, I have my original set or Passione Starks (with E/C) that were also on 2 other basses as well that I had kept around as spares. So, with nearly as much playing but as much on and off business, I just put them on the Neuner and they sound good.

I think they hold up just as well as the 92s have for age and bass changing. They actually feel great on the Neuner. It might be the best string for that bass yet. I'll leave them on for the rest of the season and see how they hold up as I use this bass for some of my concerts and most of my rehearsals as well as any Jazz gigs I do.